Back-to-back Ellerslie Sprints for Julius (NZ)

Julius (NZ) (Swiss Ace), who cost just $44,000 at the 2013 Select Sale, added a win in Saturday’s $100,000 Group 3 Darley Stallions Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie to his CV which lifted his prize money earnings to more than four times that amount.

The lightly raced six-year-old had won five of his nine career starts leading into Saturday’s race, including a dominant front-running Group 3 Concorde Handicap (1200m) victory on Karaka Million night in his most recent appearance.

This time Julius trailed the leaders before joining in at the top of the straight, sprinting to the lead and holding out the fast-finishing Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock) and Sultan of Swing (NZ) (Bachelor Duke).

The race was run in the exceptionally fast time of 1:08.32.

“He’s still not mature,” trainer John Bell said. “He’s very, very exciting and it’s great to have him.”

Julius is raced by Hamish Jones, Rex Hawkins, Guy Davey, Bill Harris, Peter Schmidt, Mere Balzer, Stephen Read, Mark Robins and Summer Bell, and he has now had 10 starts for six wins, four placings and $179,150 in prize-money.